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sickle_storiesFili shows up alone outside Meili’s apartment with a squirming puppy in his arms. Meili is too shocked to see Fili there at all, never mind the dog, that he just stands there with his hand on the door, gaping at this stranger he has for a son.
“I know it’s not the same,” says Fili by way of greeting, struggling to hold on to the pup.
Meili stares at his son and thinks, No, no it’s not the same, and he’s not thinking of poor old Gregor. Wordlessly, he stands back and lets Fili in, closing the door slowly so as to compose himself.
When he turns, Fili is standing awkwardly in the living room with the puppy licking his chin. It’s the first time Fili’s been alone with Meili. “We bonded in the car,” he explains.
Meili tries to go for a smile and isn’t quite sure he manages it. Fili waits a moment, then, seeing that Meili is making no move towards him, breeches the distance between them and hands over the pup. Meili instantly gets a facefull of wet nose and paws and it’s a good feeling. He doesn’t catch the hesitant smile on Fili’s face at the sight – satisfied that yes, he read things right – nor the thoughtful look that trails after. Seeing Meili like this, the look of delight on his face in this unguarded moment, overcomes Fili. He is starting to come to terms with the idea that his father – Daddy – that hazy memory of a man, is gone, but that Meili is here.
Fili had considered about getting Meili another shelter dog, but decided against it. Gregor had been as kind and loving a heart as ever there was in a dog, but he’d had a history of abuse, too. Like Meili, Fili realized. So instead he went for a puppy, something brand new and untouched. A new beginning. Something Meili could raise and see grow up, instead of grow old. Meili had, after all, missed out on his sons’ childhood, and almost that of his granddaughters.
They sit down on the couch together with the puppy rolling over on their laps, instead of laying still between them like Gregor. The puppy is as golden-haired as they are and chews on Meili’s fingers – tattooed and crooked, but it doesn’t care.
Fili eventually breaks the uneasy silence between them. “What’re we going to call him?”
The we melts Meili’s heart.
“I know it’s not the same,” says Fili by way of greeting, struggling to hold on to the pup.
Meili stares at his son and thinks, No, no it’s not the same, and he’s not thinking of poor old Gregor. Wordlessly, he stands back and lets Fili in, closing the door slowly so as to compose himself.
When he turns, Fili is standing awkwardly in the living room with the puppy licking his chin. It’s the first time Fili’s been alone with Meili. “We bonded in the car,” he explains.
Meili tries to go for a smile and isn’t quite sure he manages it. Fili waits a moment, then, seeing that Meili is making no move towards him, breeches the distance between them and hands over the pup. Meili instantly gets a facefull of wet nose and paws and it’s a good feeling. He doesn’t catch the hesitant smile on Fili’s face at the sight – satisfied that yes, he read things right – nor the thoughtful look that trails after. Seeing Meili like this, the look of delight on his face in this unguarded moment, overcomes Fili. He is starting to come to terms with the idea that his father – Daddy – that hazy memory of a man, is gone, but that Meili is here.
Fili had considered about getting Meili another shelter dog, but decided against it. Gregor had been as kind and loving a heart as ever there was in a dog, but he’d had a history of abuse, too. Like Meili, Fili realized. So instead he went for a puppy, something brand new and untouched. A new beginning. Something Meili could raise and see grow up, instead of grow old. Meili had, after all, missed out on his sons’ childhood, and almost that of his granddaughters.
They sit down on the couch together with the puppy rolling over on their laps, instead of laying still between them like Gregor. The puppy is as golden-haired as they are and chews on Meili’s fingers – tattooed and crooked, but it doesn’t care.
Fili eventually breaks the uneasy silence between them. “What’re we going to call him?”
The we melts Meili’s heart.
